A semi-truck typically includes a trailer chassis and a tractor unit for hauling the trailer chassis. In order to transport goods, a container of goods may be placed onto the trailer chassis and secured thereto. The container is typically secured to the chassis using a locking system that includes a plurality of manually operated locks. Usually, the locking system includes two locks proximal a front of the chassis and two locks proximal a rear of the chassis. Typically, a truck driver or another person must remember to manually actuate the locks before the semi-truck is driven. If the truck driver inadvertently leaves a lock in an unactuated state, the container may become unsecured while the semi-truck is in motion, thus creating a risk of accident and damage to goods and persons. Another possibility is that an actuated lock becomes un-actuated while the semi-truck is in motion (because of the semi-truck making a sharp turn, for example), thus creating a risk of a corner of the container becoming unsecured or the entire container becoming unsecured. Thus, there exists a need for a new locking system that improves securement of the container to the chassis.
It may be difficult or expensive, however, to produce a trailer chassis that includes such a new locking system. This may be because, in order to function properly, portions of a new locking system may need to be disposed inside a front cross member, a rear cross member, and/or other components of the chassis. The complexity of a new locking system itself may add to the difficulty in putting such a system inside the chassis during manufacture.
Also, regardless of the difficulty in producing a new trailer chassis that includes a new locking system, there is the issue of the fleet of currently existing chassis. These existing chassis would have to be discarded in favor of new chassis or modified to include a new locking system. Modifying a currently existing chassis may be difficult and may require extensive changes to the front cross member, the rear cross member, and/or other components of the chassis.
Thus, there exists a need for a new locking system that allows for efficient production of a new chassis having a new locking system and/or allows an existing chassis to be efficiently modified to include a new locking system.